New Commission on Constitution, Canons Meets
Episcopal News Service. July 28, 1977 [77249]
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The recently created Joint Commission on Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, has held its first meeting and has begun its work assigned by the General Convention last fall, according to the Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray, Jr., Bishop of Mississippi, chairman.
The Convention created the commission in Minneapolis last fall to "conduct a comprehensive review of the Constitution and Canons with respect to their internal consistency and clarity," to review as to form "such proposed amendments to the Constitution and Canons as may be submitted to the Joint Commission," and to deal with other matters referred to it by the Convention.
Prior to the action of the 1976 Convention, the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies each had separate committees on the Constitution and on the Canons. These four committees had no continuing existence and there was insufficient time at the triennial meetings of the General Convention to deal with matters which were the concerns of the committees. Therefore, the Convention approved a Joint Commission on Constitution and Canons which has "authority to function not only at the meetings of General Convention but also on an interim basis."
Meeting at Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, the commission discussed a number of issues related to "internal consistency and clarity" of the two documents and assignments were made to individual members of the commission to do the necessary research in specific areas. A number of these issues were raised by diocesan chancellors, all of whom had been asked to submit suggestions prior to the commission meeting.
The Convention specifically asked the commission to arrange for and supervise the editing, updating, publication, and sale of a revised edition of White and Dykman's Annotated Constitution and Canons which was last revised more than 20 years ago. The commission learned that funding for this project may be available outside the Church's general program budget.
The commission has said that it welcomes suggestions and recommendations for the revised commentary on the Constitution and Canons from members of the Episcopal Church. Correspondence may be addressed to the chairman of the revision committee, Mr. Fred C. Scribner, Esq., 1 Monument Square, Portland, Maine 04111.
Bishop Gray said any matters relating to the work of the commission should be submitted before the last full meeting of the commission in this triennium in early 1979. Bishop Gray may be contacted at P.O. Box 1636, Jackson, Miss. 39205.
Members of the Joint Commission on Constitution and Canons are: Bishop Gray, chairman; Bishop Ned Cole of Central New York; Bishop Robert M. Walterstorff of San Diego; the Rev. John Baiz, Pittsburgh; the Rev. Orris G. Walker, Jr., Michigan; the Rev. Canon Leopold Damrosch, Maine; Mr. George L. McGonigle, Texas; Mr. Fred C. Scribner, vice chairman; the Hon. Reynolds S. Cheney, Mississippi; Mr. Edward J. Cambridge, Southwest Florida, secretary; Mr. James K. Barnum, San Joaquin; and Mr. Samuel Francovich, Nevada.